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| the state of being at one with what is taken to be ultimate reality. Differs from one tradition to another, but includes being "reconciled with," "in harmony with," etc |
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| the imagined realm or ultimate reality to which only participants in a particular religious tradition have access. It is the "inside" that qualifies insiders as "insiders" |
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| observing a religious phenomenon from a neutral, unbiased perspective, setting the speaker or observer apart from the religion |
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| central (or primary) story |
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| the most important story of all the stories in a religious tradition, typically the one in relation to which all other stories, beliefs, symbols and practices take on the meaning they characteristically have in that tradition. Usually the story is of the founding or establishment of the tradition. |
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| the family of religious traditions which emerged in the far east, primarily China (Taoism, Confucianism) and India (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism) |
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| involves the effort to take into account the understanding and experience of the insider in developing a full understanding of what is being investigated. A disciplined empathy is essential to this |
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| act of imaginatively stepping into another person's perspective and considering how things look form there, as if one were an insider |
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| the action of entering into the system of symbols of a religious tradition and thus the "other world" of a tradition (becoming an insider). Adults convert self-consciously, while people growing up in a tradition do so gradually. |
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| pertaining to the end of history as we know it, sometimes called the end of time. This relates to religious traditions (mostly Western) that speak of a final end to human history, judgement day. Eastern religions differ because they see time as cyclical rather than linear |
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| a religion which conceives itself to have originated in a revelation of "ultimate reality" intervening in human history through certain events, people and circumstances. The central story of this religion will tell of a revelation of universal significance that has actually taken place in historical time |
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| attempting to do justice to a religion and observe it at the point where all perspectives intersect, to understand it beyond any one perspective |
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| the person-like character of God from Western religions, where (a) God and his intentions would not be known if he did not reveal himself (and make himself known) in human history and (b) God is capable of entering into relationships with particular persons and peoples, thereby singling them out from other persons and peoples o accomplish his special purposes in history |
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| the singularity of God in the understanding of Western religions, transcendent beyond all created things, as their creator, sustainer, providential governor, source of moral guidance, controller of their destiny and final judge- the singular focus of what should be one's ultimate allegiance |
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| sometimes called sacramental symbols, a religious symbol that represents some aspect of ultimate reality and at times allows people to render it the presence of ultimate reality |
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| the way in which events in ones life can from time to time pose a threat to the ultimate meaningfulness of life and also pose a threat to the relationship between individuals and the ultimate reality. The question is how to cope with this threat and attain an affirmation of the meaning of life in spite of it. There are 6 generic ways, corresponding to the 6 ways of being religious, that one can cope with the threat and attain an affirmation of life |
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| a human spokesperson for God |
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| a means of getting in touch with and of attaining at-onement with "ultimate reality" |
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| anything that refers to and thus represents something pertaining to "ultimate reality." These symbols can also serve as presentational symbols, where they are experienced as conveying the very presence of the ultimate reality |
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| a disclosure or communication by the ultimate reality to human beings of matters that would not otherwise be known |
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| The perpetual controversy in historical religions over sorting out the essential to the divine message from the non-essential particulars. The mix often comes across as scandalous to outsiders who identify with matters of universal significance but are put off by historical and cultural particulars |
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| stories, scriptures, rituals, vocabulary, etc. used for referring to what is taken to be ultimate reality, that constitute the core of a given religion |
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| one of two tests for empathetically objective interpretations of religion. Its purpose is to test how well one's interpretation has captured and conveyed an insiders perspective. The actual test is to see whether or not knowledgeable and thoughtful insiders can recognize their own understanding as insiders in the proposed interpretation |
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| One of two tests for empathetically objective interpretations of religion. Its purpose is to tell how well one's interpretation is disengaged from the expression of one's own personal attitude, orientation and judgement toward the phenomena. The actual test is to see if a third party can detect from the interpretation any expression of your own beliefs that may have biased the interpretation |
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| an entryway where one crosses the boundary from being outside the "other world" to being inside it. Can be a physical threshold (entering a temple or shrine), it refers specifically to a shift of consciousness |
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| what is taken to be the ultimate meaning and purpose of life |
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| cultivation of a personal relationship to ultimate reality of whole-hearted adoration, devotional surrender to its transforming grace, and trust in its providential care, expecting in return a sense of hope and at-onement. Typically involves a conversion experience and emotional purgation. |
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| the use of ascetic and meditative disciplines in a quest to slow down, interrupt or break through and become free of the limitations and compulsions of ordinary life. Trying to have a direct awareness of ultimate reality and become at one with it |
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| a rational effort to transcend conventional patterns of thinking in the effort to attain understanding of ultimate reality |
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| effort to bring all of life into conformity with the way things are ultimately supposed to be |
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| participation in symbolic rituals to achieve at-onement. Typically communal rather than individual |
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| way of shamanic mediation |
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| entry into altered states of consciousness (trance, oracular utterance, ecstatic vision, etc) where persons become mediators for what is taken to be an intervention of spiritual reality |
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| Moses and the Exodus from Egypt |
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| Kingdom of Israel ruled by Kings Saul, David and Soloman |
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| Kingdom of Israel splits into Israel and Judah |
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| Judah destroyed by Babylonians, restored later this century and destroyed again in 70 CE |
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| Kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria |
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| the Maccabees revolt against the Hellenistic Empire of Seleucids and succeed, results in installation of Hanukkah holiday |
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| Judea becomes a Roman province |
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| destruction of second temple |
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| Jewish revolt against Rome leads to annihilation of Jews, Jews forbidden to set foot in Jerusalem |
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| Theodore Herzl begins advocating for a Jewish state |
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| Israel is declared an independent nation |
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| war between Egypt and Israel |
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| Yom Kippur War- Egypt, Syria and Morocco launch surprise attack against Israel |
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| Israel and Egypt sign a peace treaty |
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| Elie Wiesel receives Nobel Peace Prize |
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| Iraq invades Kuwait, Israel is bombed in the process |
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| first face to face agreement between Israel and Palestine in 1993, creates framework for future relations between the two parties |
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| Arabic word meaning "shaking off" or "uprising." Refers to several uprisings by Palestinians |
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| treaty signed between Egypt and Israel in 1977 |
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| war in 1973 in which Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur |
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| war in 1967 between Israel and Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Resulted in Israel control of Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem |
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| stated British support for establishing Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people |
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| Austrian-born Jewish philosopher most famous for his "I and Thou" essay which describes the meaningfulness humans find in relationships. He believes that all our relationships ultimately bring us closer to God |
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| document in 1885 that calls for Jews to modernize their faith |
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| Jewish philosopher who brought together Judaism and classical philosophy |
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| a popular mystical and devotional Jewish movement beginning in the 1600s in eastern Europe, at first different from traditional Rabbinic Judaism but later home to the ultra-orthodox. Emphasizes intuition over reason, non-scholarly piety over scholarship in study of Torah, and worshipping God through devotional joy. In 2nd generation it came to emphasize role of charismatic holy men who are storytellers, wonderworkers, believed to be channels for divine guidance |
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| Haskala/Emancipation/Enlightenment |
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| European Enlightenment produces new forms of Jewish religious life, assimilation of many Jews into larger culture, provokes sometimes hostile attitude to those who continued to identify with traditional beliefs and practices |
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| founder of hasidic judaism, emphasizes the fact that anyone can approach G-d (not just through study) and also emphasizes prayer, observance of commandments, and personal mystical experiences |
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| born in 1600s, a rabbi and Kabbalist who claimed to be the Jewish Messiah |
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| scholarship that finds spliced, inconsistent texts in the bible |
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| way to write God so its unpronounceable |
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| the divine presence of G-d, generally represented as a feminine quality |
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| In Jewish mysticism, the emanations from G-d's essence that interact with the universe. |
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| A holiday celebrating the rescue of the Jews from extermination at the hands of the chief minister to the King of Persia. |
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| A festival commemorating the wandering in the desert and the final harvest |
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